One week...

The trip is drawing ever closer, and I still need to find what I can leave behind to lighten the heavy load in my backpack right now. I've been packing and re-packing to try and figure out how to cram everything I need for 5 weeks into one backpack (keeping in mind that I must still be able to not only carry the bag, but then hike for miles with it on). It seems that there is a fine line between being prepared, and being over-packed! (Maybe I don't need 5 gallons of sunscreen...?)

I've also been fiddling on Paint and put together a little map of my rough itinerary. Some of the places might be replaced with others and there are a few other small stops along the way, but it gives a good idea of the regions we will be visiting. We will spend the bulk of our time at Carara and Corcovado National Parks (#4 and #8 on the map). In between are the resorts, beaches, etc. that we will stop at for our much needed breaks. Also, in Ciudad Colon (#6) we will be visiting the University of Peace to take a class on globalization, and then return at the end to attend a conference where we will be presenting our findings.